Page 26 of A Not So Merry Ex-Mas

“Saved by the bell.” He lifts his eyebrows at me, and I can’t stop the giggle that escapes as he walks out of the kitchen and takes Mike's call.

Chapter Twelve

Cole

“Perfect timing,” I sayas I answer Mike’s call.

“Oh?” I can hear the laughter in his voice. “For?”

“Noelle and I were talking, and she asked me if I saved any cats—” I look over my shoulder and glance back in the kitchen.

The laughter that rings through the phone has me cringe. Yeah, it’s funny unless it’syournickname. Then, not so much.

“It’s not that funny.” A wry grin stretches my face.

“Oh, it’s not? Hey Mel!” I blow out a big breath and rub my forehead. “Cole says his nickname isn’t that funny.”

I can hear Mel laughing and feel the heat creeping up my entire body.

“Not that funny?!” Mel yells, and I groan.

I hear gasping for breath as Mike and Mel break into a laughing fit that leaves them barely able to talk.

“Catman is the worst and ridiculously funny!”

Mike snorts. Actually snorts; and I sit heavily on the couch, covering my face with my hand.

Okay, it’s awful. But it’s also hilarious. If it were anyone else’s nickname, I would tease them mercilessly, but it's mine, so I’m the one who gets teased relentlessly.

The first prank started with a stuffed cat in a cape in my locker, and it hasn’t stopped. It’s slowed down, but I will still find the occasional cat with bat ears somewhere.

I never thought I'd experience going from being a sought-after, admired professional pitcher where everyone wants your signature to being ‘Catman’.

Having your friends laugh at you every time they hear it. Extremely humbling.

“Did you call for a reason?” My attempt to change the topic fails as the laughter continues. “Mike?”

Cackles are the only response I get.

“I’m going to hang up!”

“Sorry, man,” Mike spits out between chuckles. “That nickname…”

I let out a huff, feigning annoyance at the two of them. My lips lift into a crooked smile.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. I get it. It’s funny. Now, can we get to the reason you called?”

I hear Mike take a few deep breaths as he attempts to get his laughter under control.

But then I hear Mel in the background. “Catman.” They both erupt into laughter again. This time, I laugh with them; well, at them.

My nickname is awful, but laughing at people laughing at it never gets old.

While I wait for Mike to pull himself together, my eyes drift to the tree. I haven’t decorated one in at least five years, but I’m looking forward to it. Especially with Noelle.

“This decoration was for the one ballet class I took. I cried the entire time and begged my mother to let me quit.” My heart melts into a sloppy puddle at the smile she beams in my direction. Her hazel eyes glow as she holds the miniature pair of pale pink ballet slippers. “I didn’t stop crying until she said I could. That Christmas, this ended up on the tree. When we moved from Utah to New York, Gran kept it for me.”

A feminine cackle pulls me back to the present.

---